11:33 p.m. - 2002-10-24
Contracts R Us
At the end of the day today, our liaison came by to tell us that she doesn't want to follow through with the work that had been agreed to between her and our supervisor yesterday. She asked us to arrange a meeting that our supervisor would attend for tomorrow. I tried to keep the contact brief because I could see my co-worker was ready to blow a gasket.
The liaison's refusal to respond to our supervisor for nearly two weeks before he left for his course/holidays in Ontario has meant that my last timesheet had 50 hours less paid time, because the liaison's company pays for me by the actual hours worked, as opposed to the time I was available to work. 50 hours of lost wages is pretty hard on the budget, especially when there was no way any reasonable person could have forseen and, therefore, planned for the lost income. The ambiguity around the contract meant the agency didn't place me elsewhere, nor did I look for other work because I didn't have any way of foretelling the length of the hiatus. I guess I should have gone with my gut instinct a couple of weeks back and sent out resumes. I guess I'll start that tomorrow. What is worse is that the liaison's behavior today signals she intended those results. She seems to have deliberately chosen to pull this negotiating tactic when she knew our supervisor was unavailable for two weeks.
The effect on my co-worker was two-fold. Being permanent staff with the data management firm meant she was paid regular wages for all but two days. The lost two days were a result of no work being planned or available for her at head office, so she was sent home. All the senior staff seemed to have taken time off last week so none could be generated/arranged either. Therefore, the company deducted those two days from her vacation time. That forced loss of vacation time has put her cruise at risk because she has no other vacation days left for this year. Again, no reasonable person could have forseen nor planned for this situation, but if there is any more "vacation time" in the next two weeks, then she won't be able to go on the cruise. She is really angry. Rightfully so.
Our liaison seems to have no compunction about using us as pawns in her negotiations, even knowing full well the personal damage she is inflicting. If she had just said three weeks ago she didn't want the contract, then we could have moved on with our lives instead have being manipulated like this. What is interesting, is that this morning a number of the permanent and contract staff on the job-site made a point, one after another, to visit my work station right after I arrived in the morning, to ask what was happening and to express concern about my working conditions. They have been less than optimal all along but I don't usually make a fuss about "ego" things - like an office with a view or storage for my personal effects. As long as I can go into an assignment and have a reasonable chance to do my work well, the rest doesn't really matter all that much. I work to live not the other way around.
My supervisor called about half an hour after I arrived. There was concern in his voice and he was asking if I and my co-worker were alright. Obviously he wasn't certain we were going into safe work conditions. Both of our security cards had been deactivated at some time during the past weeks by the liaison which, again, shows intent rather than circumstance.
Tomorrow's meeting should be interesting.
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